Finger-hold for penholders.



l PATENTED PEB. 14, 1905. MITH.

`PENHOLDBRS.

PEB. 15. 1904.

No. 782,888. y

FINGER H0 APPLIGATI l l i Y i i the finger-hold of soft rubber.

s UNITED STATES.

Patented February 14, 1905.

BYRON B. GOLDSMITH, OF NEIN YORK, N. Y.

FINGER-Hom Fon PENHOLDRS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 782,888, datedFebruary 14, 1905.

Application filed February 15, 1904. Serial No. 193,701. i'

T0 all ww'nt 716 r11/(ty concern:

Be it known that I, BYRON B. GoLDsMrrH, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Finger-Holds for Y It has heretofore been proposed, with a viewY of attaining the objects at which I aim, to construct finger-holds for penholders of cork; but these have been found unsatisfactory by reason of their comparatively unyielding character. It has also been proposed to build Now a fingerhold of a solid cylinder of soft rubber without any core of rigid material on the inside is impracticable, since it wabbles in writing. It has therefore been proposed to build penholders with a solid core or ferrule, which supports and prevents lthe wabbling of the pen,

and to surround this core or ferrule with a' soft-rubber finger-hold Yin the form of a tube. Since, however, the body of the surrounding soft-rubber tube could have nol great thickness in a radial direction and since soft rubber at best is not very elastic, such soft-rubber finger-holds have been found not to present the requisite elasticity to serve the purposes desired by me. Finally, it has been proposed to make the finger-hold of a soft-rubber sheath inclosing an undivided bulk of air between the rubber sheath and the penholder; but this construction has the disadvantage that the fingers of the user displace the air from the very point at which the fingers rest, thus practicallyh permitting the fingers to come into contact with the rigid material of the penholder with nothing but a thin sheath of'rubber between them.

Now I have found that I can construct a linger-hold of soft rubber having a comparatively thin body and incasing a rigid and unyielding ferrule or core which nevertheless presents the necessary amount of elasticity and yield to the fingers of the writer. This I have accomplished by constructing the softrubber sleeve which surrounds the rigid ferrule or core with a number of inwardly-extending longitudinal ribs separated by airspaces, the inner surfaces of which ribs lie against the outer surface of the ferrule. this way the fingers of the writer in grasping the penholder are not permitted to get the feel of the rigid ferrule, being held away therefrom not merely by the material of the soft-rubber sleeve, but also by the material of the inwardly-extending longitudinal ribs formed thereon. On the other hand, the {ingers of the writer receive a far greater irnpression of softness and are permitted to wield the pen in a more elastic manner because 4of the air-spaces between the inwardly-extending ribs.- In this way I have obtained a softrubber finger-hold which is more pleasing and grateful to the touch than the previous types above referred to. y

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a penholder embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the line 2 2, and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of a modication,

While my finger-hold may be applied to penholders of various constructions, I have shown in Fig. l, to EX ideas, a holder in the form of a stem A, having a tenon A', over which is slipped the rigid core or ferrule B, having fastened in the outer end thereof the usual penholder-'clip B. The soft-rubber sleeve C has been shown molded thickest at the end nearest the pen; but the particular shape of the outer surface of the sleeve O is not of vital consequence. On its inner surface the sleeve O is provided with a series of longitudinal ribs O', separated by air-spaces. The ends of these air-spaces are inclosed by the extensions O2 of the sleeve. For the purpose of giving greater elasticity where it is most needed I have made the air-spaces between the ribs of an increasing radial depth in the direction toward the pen-point. Stating this in another way, I have madethe ribs C of greater depth', measured in a radial direction, near the penpoint than near the tenon A. In this way I have constructed a finger-hold which, de'spite the small thickness of' soft rubber at my disposal around the rigid core or ferrule, has nevertheless that elasticity and yielding character which makes writing easy. The writing possesses the firmness which is due to the rigid core or pen-support and the elasticity which is due to the action of the ribs and airspaces, and this without unduly tiring the lingers.

In Fig. 8 I have shown a modification in which the inwardly-extending ribs are annular in shape. Such inwardly-extending annular ribs may manifestly also be used in connection with inwardly-extending longitudinal ribs if a great degree of' softness be not desired.

I claiml. A penholder comprising a rigid core for holdingvthe pen, and a soft-rubber sleeve having a series of' inwardly-extending longitudinal ribs, of' increasing depth toward the forward end ofthe holder, with air-spaces between, substantially as described.

2. A penholder comprising a rigid core for holding the pen, and a soft-rubber sleeve having a series of' inwardly-extending longitudinal ribs and annular ribs, with air-spaces between which increase in depth toward the forward end of' the holder, substantially as described. Y

3. A penholder comprising a rigid core and asoft-rubber sleeve fitting the core and divided into air-spaces which gradually increase in depth from the rear end forwardly', substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of' two subscribing witnesses.

BYRON B. GOLDSMITH.

Witnesses:

M. TETZLOFF, F. T. CHAPMAN. 

